Prefab Sprout - Swoon poll

My contribution to urban blues

yeah, the odds and sods poll would be there to make sure Donna Summer and Lions… in particular don't go missing.

I think I would have agreed about this album being awkward or not-quite right a decade or more ago but as I say I keep coming back to it - the broken-pop spikiness and lyrical strangeness have kept sticking in my head. There's lines or melodies or details I like in everything on here. Like I more or less know what Jordan is, but what is this? I keep picking at all the bits and pieces of brilliant, opaque bedroom poetry, and the odd swerves the songs take - like "I Never Play Basketball Now" could be an easy song of regret but there's that out/in-tray image, & then the "Think of all the things that grew here…" section.

I don't know if this is my favourite PS LP but it's definitely the one I play the most.

"Cruel" is my least favourite track btw.

Love this album but I just can't get behind that "bo bee" song. Going with the opener.

I love the Bo Bee.

"Technique," for the great, weird, winding chord sequence in the chorus.

I just listened to this yesterday. "Couldn't Bear To Be Special" since it sticks in my head.

Cruel is the gospel that makes us all free, but there's no other choice for me

I went with "Don't Sing", although "Elegance" and "Technique", with all their deeply fit chord changes, are worth a mention.

Adore this album...probably my favourite one...Paddy singing for every lovelorn male...love it's clunkiness and over reach...'Cruel' is his finest Antonio Carlos Jobim moment...just gorgeous

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Didn't see this until now, but Cue Fanfare..."playing for blood, as grandmasters should"

And I can whole heartedly recommend the band Roman A Clef to all PS fans

Some real nice playing on here too, eg the drum triplets on Technique

I voted for Ghost Town Blues but I'm very happy to see Technique win. Brilliant song.

Yeah 'Technique' is wonderful...mind you so is the whole album...reminded of the little review on inner album sleeve that talks about how the reviewer should be going to bed but she wants to listen to the album one more time...

playing for blood...as grandmasters should

er, uh, otm

"playing for blood, as grandmasters should"

― calstars, Tuesday, May 17, 2016 7:06 PM (four years ago) bookmarkflaglink

oh but to shine like joan of arc, you must be prepared to burn

lol
Great line

been listening to this a crazy amount recently and think it's now my favourite prefab sprout album (previously would have said steve mcqueen).

i didn't vote in this poll, think i would have voted for cue fanfare or elegance.

Either ILM doesn't understand Prefab Sprout, or I don't. In shock they stare and cue fanfare!

I am very partial to any song that references Chess, especially as great a moment as the World Chess Championship 1972.

Technique is a great song, always have to move beyond the accent in the verses though, sounds like a different singer.

The Sprouts were incredibly lucky to hook up with Thomas Dolby.

However the votes went, it would never be right. What’s I Never Play Basketball Now doing with zero? The in tray and the out tray, ‘All of it good and strong, and all of it gone’…